Writers Forum - Northern California

I have been giving thought into living a life of greatness.How does one unlock their dormant potential of greatness within?After much thinking, I have come to a resolution.

If I want to live a life of greatness, I must start by behaving like a great person every day!

The above statement was the cause.The effect manifested itself, as an acronym for the word GREATNESS.Each letter in the word greatness is a key.These keys will unlock the many doors’ that will lead us to the corridor of our greatness.If you use these keys daily, they will become second nature.Before you know it, you will be living in your own greatness.

Here are those keys:

G is for GRATITUDE. Be thankful for all the experiences and blessings you receive.   Whether they are tangible, or intangible, be thankful. Whether it is a small favor such as someone holding a door open for us, or something larger like getting a raise, we should like to be thankful for everything we value, even watching a beautiful sunrise. The two little words   THANK YOU may seem small. Yet they have a huge impact, when we use them sincerely. Do you really want to wait for Thanksgiving Day, to acknowledge what you are thankful for now? Give your appreciation every day.Gratitude is the first key.

R is for RELAXATION. Practice relaxing or meditating daily, in a quite peaceful environment. Not just relaxing in front of the television or relaxing in a hot bath, I am talking about real relaxation, away from all the distractions, noise, and the fast pace of life.It seems to me, that life has become hectic as we rush to get through the day.Instead, let us try to get something from the day.Being able to leave the craziness of the world behind will help us get to a place of solitude, and be alone with the silence within.This will allow us to hear the whispers that will guide us through the insanity of this world we live in. Relaxation is the second key to greatness.

E is for EXERCISE. Whether we are just walking, stretching, or moving our muscles.Daily exercise is necessary for our bodies.As the saying goes, \"If you do not use it, you will lose it.\" If we will not take it upon ourselves, to use our muscles every day they will fail us when we need them most, especially our mental muscle; the mind. Exercising our minds, is just as important as exercising our bodies. We must stretch ourselves mentally, physically, spiritually, as well as emotionally. Yes, exercise your emotions too. Only through stretching our boundaries, will we grow.The third key is Exercise.

A is for ATTITUDE. Have an attitude, or state of mind, that is in line with the life we want for ourselves. Ask yourself this question:How would I act, and feel, if I was already living a life of greatness? Our attitude determines how we feel. How we feel leads to our actions. Over time, our actions become the reality we are living. How do you like your reality?If you are not satisfied with your reality and you are wishing for a better life, you have to start somewhere. May I suggest starting with a better attitude? Our circumstances do not just happen to us. Our circumstances are a reflection of our attitude. Attitude is the fourth key.

T is for Tutelage. Seek the tutelage, or teachings from the wisdom of the ages. Lessons from great people of the past or present, will give us insight into living a life of greatness. You can use this key by finding a mentor, or reading books and the biographies of great men and women.I have heard that success leaves clues. All you have to do is observe, and look for them. Those clues will help guide you to your greatness. May I also suggest that you share your wisdom with others? If we are only students, we miss the other half of this key. Be a teacher. Take someone under your wing, and impart into their mind the wisdom you have found to be valuable. This is how we use the fifth key, Tutelage.

N is for NUTRITION. Put healthier food into your body, to nourish yourself. This nourishment will promote new growth, and development. Most people these days put more thought, time, and money, into the well-being of the cars they drive. Than they do their own bodies. Our bodies are the vehicles we use, along the road trip of our lives.Imagine trying to make a cross-country trip in a car with the wrong kind of fuel, or an engine with no oil.Can you see yourself now, broken down on the side of the road? I suggest, seeing yourself all the way to your destination. Where do you want your vehicle to take you, on the road trip of your life’s journey? Put more thought, time and money, into the preventative maintenance of YOU. Your body will thank you for it down the road.Nutrition is the sixth key, to unlock the greatness within you.

E is for EGOLESSNESS. Simply put, having no ego. Egolessness is a psychological term for the mental state, in which one feels no ego or self. Ego is the Latin word for I. Ego or selfishness is an exaggerated love for oneself. To live out of the ego, is to become aware that we are one with each other.   A sense of oneness with everyone, and everything, can help us to live out of the ego.One of the best descriptions of the ego I have heard is an acronym from Dr. Wayne Dyer, which he calls Edging God Out (E.G.O.). The opposite of ego would be humility. Be less mindful of ourselves, and more intuitive to the thoughts, and feelings, of others. Living with Egolessness every day, is the seventh key.

S is for SHARING. Give, and share the fruits of our labor with others. Most people do not give. Did you know that, giving is one of the secrets of the rich? When we give to others, what we give comes back to us multiplied. This practice is older than the bible. Giving is also a gift unto itself. Every time I give to a worthy cause, it always makes me feel good. I have a saying that goes like this, \"I should not expect to receive from the world, if I cannot find it within myself to give to it.\"   May I suggest not just giving the gift of your money to those in need? Share with them the gift of your time, your love, and your attention. Sharing is the eighth key to unlocking our greatness.

S is for SERVICE. Perform duties for the benefit of others, with no expectations in return. Help other people to achieve their goals.Make a substantial contribution to humanity.John F. Kennedy said it well when he spoke the words, \"These are my keys, to unlock the doors of greatness within us all.I suggest trying to find every opportunity to act on these keys. Spend one week focusing on one key, the next week on the next key, and so on.Nine weeks of using these keys WILL change your life.You will find yourself one day living a higher level of greatness, then you ever could have dreamed possible.Try it out for just 9 weeks, and after that short amount of time, you can decide for yourself, if it was worth it.I will tell you now, YOU ARE WORTH IT.The time is going to pass anyways.Why not spend it, unleashing the greatness within you. Until we meet again my friend.I bid you a fond farewell.May you live life to your full potential!\"